U.S. patent application number 14/942670 was filed with the patent office on 2016-05-19 for automated app generation system.
This patent application is currently assigned to APPSFREEDOM, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is AppsFreedom, Inc.. Invention is credited to VIKAS GUPTA, VAIDYANATHAN IYER.
Application Number | 20160139888 14/942670 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55961741 |
Filed Date | 2016-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160139888 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
IYER; VAIDYANATHAN ; et
al. |
May 19, 2016 |
AUTOMATED APP GENERATION SYSTEM
Abstract
An app development platform that provides a unique way for
anyone, without any programming skills, to build and deploy apps in
5 easy steps. Typically the entire end-to-end 5 step process from
app conceptualization to app deployment can be done in 5 days or
less. The platform is a Model-Driven platform that guides anyone
with no programming skills through 5 steps that include 1) define
the process; 2) enhance the screens; 3) build integration logic; 4)
publish and manage; and 5) analyze user behavior.
Inventors: |
IYER; VAIDYANATHAN;
(CHANDLER, AZ) ; GUPTA; VIKAS; (NAPERVILLE,
IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
AppsFreedom, Inc. |
Chandler |
AZ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
APPSFREEDOM, INC.
Chandler
AZ
|
Family ID: |
55961741 |
Appl. No.: |
14/942670 |
Filed: |
November 16, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62079585 |
Nov 14, 2014 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
717/105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/0633 20130101;
G06F 8/34 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 9/44 20060101
G06F009/44; G06Q 10/06 20060101 G06Q010/06; G06F 3/0482 20060101
G06F003/0482; G06F 3/0486 20060101 G06F003/0486; G06F 3/0484
20060101 G06F003/0484 |
Claims
1. A method of automatically generating an app with a app
generation system, the method comprising: defining a business
process, wherein defining a business process includes creating a
business process flow chart of the business process using a drag
and drop user interface; automatically generating an app in
response to activating an app generation software application,
wherein no user input beyond the business process flow chart is
required to generate the app; enhancing the visual aspects of
screens of the generated app; building integration logic using a
drag and drop interface; publishing and managing the generated app;
and analyzing user behavior, wherein the generation of the app
includes providing automatic reporting of user behavior in use of
the generated app.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically generating an app
includes automatically generating an app for an operating
system.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operating system comprises
one of a smartphone operating system or a browser.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the smartphone operating system
comprises any operating system for a smartphone.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein enhancing the visual aspects of
the screens includes using a drag and drop interface for dragging
and dropping mobile components into the user interface.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising reviewing app
enhancements in real-time by business users from their devices for
real-time feedback to the app developer.
7. A system for automatically generating an app with a app
generation system, the system comprising: a process modeler module
presented on the electronic display of a user, wherein the process
modeler is operable by a user for defining a business process,
wherein defining a business process includes creating a business
process flow chart of the business process using a drag and drop
user interface of the process modeler module; automatically
generating an app in response to activating an app generation
software application by clicking on an a generate button provided
by operation of the system, wherein no user input beyond the
business process flow chart is required to generate the app; an app
designer module presented on the electronic display of a user,
wherein the app designer module provides for enhancing the visual
aspects of screens of the generated app; an integration builder
module presented on the electronic display of a user, wherein the
integration builder module operates for building integration logic
using a drag and drop interface; a platform configurator module,
wherein the platform configurator module is presented on the
electronic display of a user, publishing and managing the generated
app; and a management develop interface for analyzing user
behavior, wherein the generation of the app includes providing
automatic reporting of user behavior in use of the generated
app.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein automatically generating an app
includes automatically generating an app for all operating
systems.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein app designer module operates to
enhance the visual aspects of the screens includes using a drag and
drop interface for dragging and dropping mobile components into the
user interface.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising reviewing app
enhancements in real-time by business users from their devices for
real-time feedback to the app developer.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein the integration builder module
operates to connect to a cloud backend application an on-premise
backend application, or to no external application depending on the
specific requirements of the app.
12. The system of claim 7, wherein the platform configurator module
performs administration tasks comprising user definition and role
assignment, wherein the administration tasks can be leveraged from
the backend identity management servers.
13. The system of claim 7, wherein the management development
interface automatically provides all usage statistics to the
platform for analyzing usage and user behavior patterns to update
the app with improvements.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] This invention relates generally to an app development
platform and more particularly to an automated app development
platform that provides a unique way for anyone, without any
programming skills, to build and deploy apps in 5 easy steps.
[0003] 2. State of the Art
[0004] The development of apps for computing devices and
particularly mobile computing devices is becoming more important
within businesses. Businesses seek to develop apps in order to
improve productivity by giving the businesses the ability to
simplify the tasks of various employees of the business by
developing an app that help in the performance of the employees
responsibilities. Currently, there is not a system that allows a
user with no programming experience to be able to develop an app
for enterprises, across all mobile OS and browsers, completely
integrated to IT's core business applications.
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need in the field of app development
for an improved automated app development platform.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention relates to an app development platform
that provides a unique way for anyone, without any programming
skills, to build ,deploy and manage apps in 5 easy steps.
[0007] Embodiments of the present invention include a method of
automatically generating an app with an app generation system. The
method comprises the steps of defining a business process, wherein
designing a business process includes creating a flow chart of the
business process using a drag and drop user interface;
automatically generating an app for all operating systems in
response to activating an app generation software application,
wherein no user input beyond the business process flow chart is
required to generate the app; enhancing the visual aspects of
screens of the generated app; building integration logic using a
drag and drop interface; publishing and managing the generated app;
and analyzing user behavior, wherein the generation of the app
includes providing automatic reporting of user behavior in use of
the generated app.
[0008] Another embodiment includes a system for automatically
generating an app with a app generation system, the system
comprising: a process modeler module presented on the electronic
display of a user, wherein the process modeler is operable by a
user for defining a business process, wherein defining a business
process includes creating a business process flow chart of the
business process using a drag and drop user interface of the
process modeler module; automatically generating an app in response
to activating an app generation software application by clicking on
an a generate button provided by operation of the system, wherein
no user input beyond the business process flow chart is required to
generate the app; an app designer module presented on the
electronic display of a user, wherein the app designer module
provides for enhancing the visual aspects of screens of the
generated app; an integration builder module presented on the
electronic display of a user, wherein the integration builder
module operates for building integration logic using a drag and
drop interface; a platform configurator module, wherein the
platform configurator module is presented on the electronic display
of a user, publishing and managing the generated app; and a
management develop interface for analyzing user behavior, wherein
the generation of the app includes providing automatic reporting of
user behavior in use of the generated app.
[0009] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed
description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a view of a process modeler of an app generation
system.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a view of an app designer module of an app
generation system.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a view of an integration builder of an app
generation system.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a view of a platform configurator of an app
generation system.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a view of a management development interface of an
app generation system.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method of generating an app
automatically.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0016] As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention
relate to an app development platform that provides a unique way
for anyone, without any programming skills, to build and deploy
apps in 5 easy steps. Typically the entire end-to-end 5 step
process from app conceptualization to app deployment can be done in
5 days or less. The platform is a Model-Driven platform that guides
anyone with no programming skills through a method of automated app
generation.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 6, a method or process 60 of generating an
app automatically comprises 5 steps in accordance with embodiments.
The method 60 may include define the process (Step 1); enhance the
screens (Step 2); build integration logic (Step 3); publish and
manage (Step 4); and analyze user behavior (Step 5).
[0018] FIGS. 1-5 depict the various components of the system, and
further provide additional method steps in the description of the
modules that operate during each step of the app generation process
60.
Step 1: Define the Process
[0019] In the system platform, a user may access the Process
Modeler module 10, shown in FIG. 1, and define the business
processes 12 for the app to be created. This can be performed with
drag and drop process components 14. The focus should be on the
logical process model, not on the user interface ("UI") or backend
systems and data. The primary step is to get the processes 12
completely right and it ensures that the app is designed exactly
the way the end-user requires without compromising on user
experience ("UX.") Unlike other app development systems,
embodiments of the system platform allows for a model of a business
process 12 be the foundation for the automated generation of an
app.
[0020] A user clicks on a "GENERATE APP" button 16 in the Process
Modeler 10 which generates the base app framework for all device
operating systems (i.e. iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows
smartphones & tablets) and the browser. At this point, the
system platform has automatically generated an app with all the
logic and navigation flow embedded. However, the generated app will
not have all the desired screen elements or cosmetic look and feel
of the user interface at this step.
Step 2: Enhance the Screens
[0021] The user may then access the App Designer Module 20, as
depicted in FIG. 2, in the system platform and open the app 22 that
was generated from the Process Modeler 10. This app 22 will have
various pages, and the relationship between them, if there is such.
In the App Designer Module 20, a user can open each page and
drag-and-drop mobile components 24 into the UI. The mobile
components 24 can be from simple elements like dropdown and text
boxes to more advanced elements like charts and bar-code scanners.
Any enhancement needs to be made only once and the system applies
any enhancement made in one operating system app 22 to all the
devices and browsers operating in different operating systems. All
the app enhancements can be reviewed in real-time by business users
from their devices for real-time feedback to the app developer.
Step 3: Build Integration Logic
[0022] For this task, open the Integration Builder, as seen in FIG.
3 in the system platform and start building the integration logic
for the generated app 22. This may include connecting to a cloud
backend application 32 or an on-premise backend application 34 or
to no external application at all, depending on the specific
requirements of the app 22. This activity includes building the
business and integration logic required by the app 22. All business
and integration logic is done via drag-and-drop components 36 in
the Integration Builder Module 30. The app development process is
complete at this step.
Step 4: Publish and Manage
[0023] In this step, publish the app using a Platform Configurator
Module 40 of the system platform, as shown in FIG. 4. In this step,
administration tasks such as user definition and role assignment
can be leveraged from the backend identity management servers. This
module also includes testers into the process to test the app
before publishing and rolling it out to production users and
managing it.
Step 5: Analyze User Behavior
[0024] Once business users have downloaded and deployed the app,
the apps automatically provides all usage statistics to the
platform where the developer or administrator can analyze usage and
user behavior patterns to update the app with improvements using a
Management Development Interface or App Watch 50 as depicted in
FIG. 5.
[0025] The system platform supports the complete app development
lifecycle with this 5 step process. All of the steps of the process
are provided by the use of a software application that provides a
user interface for each step. Based on the information entered by
the user at the beginning with the business process model, the
software application automatically generates an app that performs
the functionality to accomplish the business process. There is no
need for a user to code and debug the code in order to create a
working app.
[0026] While the invention has been shown and described with
reference to specific preferred embodiments, it should be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
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